FACULTY-LED CULINARY STUDY ABROAD IN ITALY | SINCE 2005
Culinary study abroad in Italy, built for your college's curriculum.
Since 2005, the Marco Polo Program designs faculty-led, credit-eligible study abroad programs in Italy. in culinary arts, hospitality management, and sustainable agriculture — customized for U.S. colleges and culinary institutes.
Since 2005, we create structured academic immersion programs in Italy that are integrated into the curriculum, designed by faculty, and focused on documented, proven, and strengthened learning
outcomes.
WHAT YOU CAN STUDY WITH US
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
Students study and work with the ingredients that define Italian cooking alongside vintners, cheesemakers, and working chefs. DOP producers: Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, Prosciutto di Parma DOP, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP.
On working farms and vineyards, students meet producers who've cultivated the same land for generations, tracing how geography shapes Italy's culinary identity.
From historic city hotels to farm-to-table agritourism estates, students learn hospitality as a cultural philosophy rooted in genuine care for the guest.
WHERE THE LEARNING TAKES PLACE
OUR LOCATIONS
Lazio
Anzio / Nettuno
Foundations & Rome. The coastal base where most programs begin — first professional kitchen work, plus full cultural access to Rome.
- Agricola Circe buffalo mozzarella farm
- Lazio cooking class & EVOO tasting
- Rome: Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain
Emilia-Romagna
Salsomaggiore / Modena
The DOP heartland. Italy's "Food Valley," where students go inside the producers behind three of its most protected products.
- Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
- Prosciutto di Parma DOP — Salumificio Ziveri
- Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP, 12–25yr — La Tradizione
Piedmont
Acqui Terme / Asti & Turin
Wine, truffle, and coffee culture. Piedmont's vineyards and truffle country meet Turin's coffee and chocolate history.
- Barbera, Moscato & Spumante d'Asti
- Bersano Winery & Ca' Bianca agritourism
- Tartuflanghe truffle day & cooking school
- Lavazza Coffee Museum & historic 1800s coffee houses
Veneto (Draft / TBD)
Wine country
Home to Italy's most celebrated sparkling wine tradition.
- Prosecco vineyard visit & tasting
- Vineyard-to-bottle wine production
- DOCG certification & terroir study
Program Structure
Essential details and key program specifications
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Formats | Our programs are highly customizable. Programs could last up to nine-day or month-long immersive formats depending on your academic, professional, and institutional needs and preferences. |
| Cohort Size | Each academic discipline could have 15–20 students per institution, per cycle. |
| Credit Eligibility | Once you join our programs, your universities, institutions, and administrators could decide to give you academic or professional credits you can use in your career. |
| Lodging | Our programs offer 3–5 star hotels, en-suite bathrooms, and a comfortable stay during your immersion period. |
| On-Site Support | Our programs also provide fluent English-speaking coordinators, translators, and instructors in every city. |
How students learn inside Italy's food systems.
Our system-based pedagogy teaches students inside Italian food systems — not about them.
Each itinerary list is customized according to your needs and undergoes a tailored and strict process before being turned into a curriculum.
INSIDE THE SYSTEM
Students Learn Inside Italian Food Systems, Not About Them — In The Kitchen, Cellar, And Field Where The Work Actually Happens And Where Get To Be Involved And Experience, While Gaining Skills And Knowledge.
SOURCE-TO-PLATE
Every Product Is Traced Through Its Whole System: Soil, Season, Certification, And The Economy That Brings It To The Table. Allowing Students To Learn The Entire Process Before The Product Actually Comes.
HANDS-ON PRACTITIONERS
Days Are Spent Alongside Vintners, Cheesemakers, Cured-Meat Specialists, And Chefs — In The Language And Rhythm Of The Place.
CULTURE AS CONTEXT
Food, Hospitality, And Agriculture Are Read As Culture — History And Identity Made Tangible Through Rome, Venice, Turin, And The Countryside.
IMMERSIVE WORKING
Harvesting, Plating, Tasting, Serving: Competence Earned By Doing, Then Carried Home Into The Classroom.
Decades of Passion & Authentic Connection
Giacomo Berselli grew up in the Italian countryside, spending his summers on his aunt's farm. After founding two IT companies in the 1990s, he followed what he describes as a calling toward the role of ambassador for Italian food and wine culture. In 2005, he established the Marco Polo Program to bring Italian culinary education to American institutions. In 2014, he relocated to New York to build U.S. partnerships directly. Twenty years across two continents have produced lasting relationships with Italian producers, regional institutions, and American culinary schools.
Today, Marco Polo Institute stands stronger than ever, holding decades of experience and trust from numerous academic institutions, with the transformational stories of thousands of its students who have been with us from the start.
"Sharing Italian food and wine passion and Italian culture can be a pillar in students' education."— Giacomo Berselli, Founder
Why Colleges Choose Us
Marco Polo is an academic partner, cultural bridge, and system-based learning provider — premium, limited-access, and institution-backed. Every program is built in direct collaboration with your faculty, around documented learning outcomes, delivered by Italian industry professionals with relationships built since 2005. This is a structured academic immersion program, not a travel tour — credit-eligible, institution-backed, and built around what your department actually needs.
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